Call-distributing system



Oct. 14, 1930.l G. G. LIGHT ET AL CALL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 18, 1929 .'5 Sheets-Sheet l h. n. EW

Oct. 14, 1930. G. G. L [GHT ET AL CALL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18,. 1929 Oct. 14, 1930. G. G, LIGHT ETAL 1,778,679

CALL DI STRIBUTING SYSTEM F'iled Sept. 18. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 14, 1930 UNTED STATES FATENT OFFICE GEORGE G'. LIGHT, 0F ELIZABETH, ,HERBERT W. BRAKE, OF EAST ORANGE, AND

MAURICE A. RUDD, `OF NORTE'. PLAN'FIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND WILLAM B. BLAN- TON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSGNORS TO THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, F NEW YORK, NKY., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CALL-DTSTR-IBUTING SYSTEM Applcation'led September 18, 1929. Serial No. 393,480.

any line are connected in multiple and oonsequently they operate simultaneously in resi onse to an incoming call. fis result, all oiE the operators who are not busy attempt to answer only he same call and in doing so not perform unnecessary work, but create in amount of confusion and delay.

. nrtlierinore with a number ,of operators 2o attempting to answer call simultaneously,

the succeeding incoming call is orten left unattended until one ot the many operators answer ig the first call completes the call relie other operators tor the succeeding system oi' answering calls results in the further diiiiculty that it is not possible to tell whether e suilicient or insufficient number oioperators are available Jorthe rate at which incom g' calls are received.

d other difficulties are overcome by tion, which has for one of its objects l prot on oi means forppreventing contui by the simultaneous answc ing ot incomcalls by a plurality oi operators,

it. tu yther object ot our invention is to provide means for ling or dispatching successive incoming oa in advance of their predetermined operators.

urther object ot our invention is to e nieans in an exchange system for dethe correct number or" operators handle the signaling am:

lll i; l e ci our inmy to ido means for advising an opel .tori

c oif coming call that that ope or only is to answer the next incon call..

Still another object ofen? invention provide means for warning the operator who is to answer the next call thatan incoming call received which must be answered.

Still a 'further object of our invention is to provide means tor warning the supervisory operator that all of the available operators are busy.

Ainet-her object of our invention is to provide means for readily cutting oli or on additional operator circuits.

i further object of our invention is to provide mean Ylior indicating when any of the answer neit lamps are burned out or are no in opera ive condition.

There are other objects of our invention which together with the foregoing will appear in detail in the description to follow.

By the present invention, a series ot Ctanswer next lamps are provided, one for each o'j the operators at a switchboard, arranged under ordinary circumstances to aseach succeeding call to a predetermined operator.

Heretoiore, each incoming call on arrival has been assigned to predetermined operators by providing answering lamps on various po sitions in 'front of operators and arranging the circuits therefor so that the answer lamp is lighted at only one position at a. time in response an incoming call. This has the obvious disadvantages that it does not apprise the operator that she is to answer the call until the instant whenthe call is received which accordingly invariably results in delay.

The present invention overcomes this disadi-fantage by operating independently of incoming calls r the lighting of answering lamps. By means of our circuits, an answer nent9g lamp individual to each operators position is lighted independent of the usual answer lamp. lt provides an indication to the operator at whose position this answer next lamp lights, that when a call comes in, this operator is to be the only one to answer it. fis will appear from the following, this answer nent lamp is illuminated even when no incoming calls are being received. When a call is received, however, it appears as a `lighted answer lamp in :front oi' all operatorsy but by virtue of the answer next7 circuit arrangement, only one operator answers that call; namely, the operarr at whose position the answer nent7 lamp rhted.

By means of this ans *er next system oil signaling, the supervisory operator is aided in determining the corre umher of operators needed to liandl the at any time at a concentration unit. `i accomplished'by arranging the oper ,tors .i a predetermined sequence and invariably inoicating tne lowest numbered idle operator t that she is to answ er the next incomi call, thereby lreeping the first opei nor the tasiest, the second F or e1;- stationed at operator the nent busiest am s ample, if six operators were ay concentration unitand the la two never received an indication to anfnvor ie nent incoming call, they could be transferred to some other unit.

The above will be clear from a. detailed description in connection with the figures, in which- Figure 1 is a diagramma ic view of the circuit and apparatus employ ed in a preferred embodiment of our invention Figure 2 is a diagramnn` 'c View of the circuit and apparatus mployed in a modified form of our invention, and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit and apparatus at a switchboard including a subscriber-s jack, answering lamps, busy lamps and common equipment therefor.

is shown in 3, an individual subscribers circuit 1 and 2 entends through the terminal strips 3 and through the back contacts and armatures 4 and 5 respectively of cut-olf relay 45 to the windings of a line relay G which is individual to this particular subscribers line and which is energized by the closing of this circuit when the subscriber lifts the receiver.

The relay G is provided with an armature 7 which at its front contact exends a circuit over the conductor 3 d one of the terminal strips 9 to answering lamps such as 10 and 11 in parallel individual to each subscriber and appearing at each operators position. This circuit extends over the conductor 12 to a pilot relay 13, the opposite terminal of which is connected to the batterv 14 and then to ground at 15.

As is well known, when the line relay is energized., the answering` lamps 10 and 11 are illuminated over the circuit traced above to indicate to the operator or ope ators which of the subscriber-is lii es is calling. ln addition to these lamps, the pilot relay 13 is en ergized to control a. pilot light which is common to all of the subscribers so that the operator need observe only the pilot light to be advised that a call is coming in.

ln the present case, the energization of the pilot relay 13 controls ai armature 16 which in turn controls one of the features of the novel circuit to be described in detail hereinafter for distributing successive calls coming in to the various operators.

lt will be noted that the subscribers lines 1 and 2 in addition to the connection to the line relay G are multipled over the conduc tors 17 and 18 to the terminals 13 and 2O of a plurality of acls which are individual to this particular subscribers line, jack Q1 being one of these jacks.

lll hen a call is received over this subscribers line as indicated by the operation of lamps 10 and 11, the operator who is to answer the call inserts an operators plug 25, Fig. 1, comprising a sleeve 26 and tip and rim,r terminals 27 and 28, into the jack 21 individual to the calling subscriber. The tip and ring termi nals 27 and 28 are connected to the operators cord conductors 31 and 39. respectively, the conductor 31 extending to the primary winding 33 of av repeating coil and the conductor 3Q extending through the supervisory relay 34 to the second winding 35 of the repeating coil and thence through battery 3G to ground 37. "lhe windings 41 and 42 of the repeating coil extend to the opcrators head set and talking set over well known circuitsl which accordingly need not be described here. its will be understood by those skilled in the art, e ch operators position maybe provided with a plurality of such cord circuits.

fis will appear more fully hereinafter in the description of the operation, when the plug Q5 is inserted into the jack Q1., t ie circuit for the supervisory relay 34 is energized if/when the subscribers receiver' is removed from the hook switch and it operates itc-iy mature 43 to engage its front Contact, bvpassing a circuit Ior the supervisor-v lanip lllhen the supervisory lamp is en nguished in this manner, the operator is advi ,ed that the talking circuit has been completed.

One terminal of the supervisory lamp 44 is connected to the sleeve 26 which, when the plug thereof is inserted in the jack 21, ezitends a circuit over the conductor 29 to a cut off relay 45 of Fig. 3, the energizing circuit for which is controlled in this manner.

rlhe cut off relay 45 comprises in addition to the armatures 4 and 5 which control the line relay, an armature 46 which controls a circuit over conductor 47 to busy lamps 4S and 49 appearing before each operators position. rlhe opposite terminals of lamps 48 and 49 are completed over conductor 50 and battery 5l to ground at 52. V'Vhen the plug 25 is inserted in the ack 21 and the relay 45 is energized, the busy lamps 43 and 49 are illuminated, indicating that this particular subscribers line is now busy and no other operator may seize this line, all of which is well known in the art.

Referring now again to the supervisory lamp 44, it will be noted that the opposite terminal thereof from that which extends to the sleeve 9.6, is connected through resistance 5'51 and conductor 56 toa relay 57 which is individual-to; an operator the opposite terminal of relay 57 being groundedthrou-gh battery 58 at 59. y

In addition to the operators cord circuits 31 and 32,supervisory lamp 44 and relay 57, there is individual to an operator an answer next lamp 61, the circuit for which is controlled by the armature 62 of the relay 57 and by the contact 63 on the jack 64.

As shown, the contact 63 is normally closed and extends the circuit for lamp 61`- over conductor 65 to ground at 66 so that the lamp 61 is normally grounded. When its individual relay.V 57 is deenergized, the circuit for the lamp- 61 extends over the back contact and armature 62 to the line 67.

The line 67 is connected through the make break contactor 68, controlled by cam 69 to the conductor 70 and thence through winding of relay71 tothe source of energy 72 grounded at 73. The conductor 67 is also multipled ove-r the conductor 74 and armature 16. and-its back contact and conductor 7 5 to the yconductor 70 and relay 71. A further'inultiple extension from conductor 67 extends through resistance 7 7.` Accordingly energy from the source 72 may be impressed upon the conductor 67 over an one of the three circuits described above or functions 'to be described in connection with the detailed description of the operation hereinafter. Y v

It will be noted that the conductor 67 in addition to being connected to the armature 62 at the first operators position, is also multipled over a conductor 81' tothev normally open contact 82on the-,jack 64, which when closed connects conductor 67 directly to conductor 7 5 over conductor 81, contact 82, and conductor 83. Also, the circuit from lamp 61 passes to'ground 66, through the normally closed contact 63 on jackV 64, which when opened disconnects ground from lamp 61. Bythisarrangement, any one operators positionmay be shunted outl of the answer next circuit (i. e., busied) by inserting a plug-in the jack 64, which in effect, performs the same functions; as if relay 57 wereV ener-` gized,H as described in the following paragraph.

Asv described above, the conductor 67 is connected to the lamp 61 when the armature 62 is in engagement with its backv contact.

. When, however, armature 62 moves to e11- gage itsfront contact upon` energization of relay 57 in a manner to be described, the conductor 67 is switched from the-lamp 61and is connected over conductor 7 5 andarmature 76 andl its back contact to a lamp' 77` similar to lamp 61 but individual to the second operator in the sequence.

This operator has in add-itionto the answer next lamp 77, the relay7 8 which control's they circuit' for this'answen lamp'. andi lother' similar equipmentl individual thereto as described in connection with the first operator.

As in the case ofthe first operator, the second operator is provided with jack 85 for rendering this operators position non-operative. The third operator is similarly provided with an answer next lamp 86 controlled by relay 87 and jack 88 as in the case ofthe first two operators. In addition, this opera-- tor isV also provided with a complete set as described in detail in connection with the first operator. In a similar manner each operators position is equipped with individual equipment as described in connection with the first operator.l

Having described the arrangement and circuits of'l the apparatus, a detailed description of the operation as the successive calls come in will nowbe given.

It will be assumed that no calls have been received and that accordingly the linel relays 6 for `all of the subscribersY are deenergized. Accordingly the pilot relay 13 which is energized in multiple by any one of the line relaysris also deenergized and the armature 16 is in engagement with its back contact. Inasmuch as none of the plugsisinserted in any jack under the above assumed conditions, all of the individual operating'relays 57, 78 and 87 are deenergized.

Accordingly a circuit is completed extending, from ground at 73 through the source 7 2 through the winding ofthe relay 71, conductor 70, conductor 75, Vback contact and armature 16, conductor 74, conductor 67, armature 62 and its baclrcontact to the answer next lamp 61, contact 63 and conductor 65 to ground at 66.V The lamp 61 is accordingly illuminated'V and the first operator' is advised that upon receipt of the next call she shouldanswer it. As the cam 69 rotates, periodically opening the contact 68, this has no effect-inasmuch as the contacts are short circuited by conductor 74, armature and back contact 16, and conductor 75.

lf now a Vsubscriber suc-h as the one connected tol the conductors 1 and 2, Fig. 3, closes his circuit byN lifting his receiver, the

circuit will extend through the back contact and'armature 5, through the winding of the line` relay 6 to battery and ground, through the second winding ofthe relay 6, armature 4 and'its back contact and back over the conductor 1 and the relay 6 is energized. Energization of'lineV relay 6 operatesits armature to engage' its front contact and a circuit is completed from ground to the armature 7 and itsf front contact, conductor 8, through the lamps l-and 11 in multiple, conductor 12, thewinding of the pilot relay 13 and through. battery 14 to ground at 15. The lamps 10 andV 11, upon. illumination, indicate to all the operatorswhich of the subscribersisfcalling; 4.asi stated." above.

The energization of relay 13, opens the circuit traced above extending through the back contact and armature 16 and conductors 7 5 and 74. However, the lamp 51 which was energized over this circuit continues to be illuminated over a circuit from ground through the source 7 2, the winding ot' relay 71, conductor 70, contact G8, when the revolving cam permits this contact to be closed, conductor 67, through the armature 62 in engagement witii its back contact and thence through the lamp G1 and over the circuit as traced above. "Vhen the revolving cam, however, opens the contact 68, the lamp 61 goes out and is again illuminated when the circuit is closed on further movement of the revolving cam to close the contact 68. As a result the lamp 61 now lickers and the 0perator opposite the flickering lamp is warned of the incoming call which she must now answer.

Accordingly the operator will insert her plug 25 in the jack 21 individual to the call` ing subscriber. rl"he circuit over the conductors 1 and 2,`wliich was traced as extending through the line relay (i, now ez-itends over a multiple conductor 17 and 18 to the terminals 19 and 2O orn jacl; 21 and to the tip and ring 27 and 28 respectively ot the plug 25, conductors 31 and 32 through supervisory relay 3 and through the repeating coil windings 33 and 35 to battery 36.

The supervisory relay 34 is energized, bypassing the lamp 44 over a circuit including resistance 91. The value ot' resistance 91 is so chosen with respect to the resistance 55 that a substantial bypass circuit for the lamp 44 is provided without seriously affecting the total resistance of this circuit.

A i" rther result of the insertion ot plug in the acl; 21 is to complete an energizing circuit tor the cut oli1 relay 45 and the individual relay 57 over a circuit from ground through the v-finding of the cut oil relay 45, conductor 29 (see Fig. 3), the jack 21, sleeve 2b et the plug 25, front contact and armature resistances 91 and 55 in series, conductor 56, the winding of the relay 57, bat tery 5S and ground at 59.

Energization of the relay 57 operates its armature (32 from engagement with its back contact to engagement with its front contact, opening the circuit of the lamp 61 which is accordingly extinguished, extending the circuit which was previously traced from the lamp 61 to the lamp 7 7, the circuit now eX- tending from source 72, over conductor 67 as traced above, armature 62 and in engagement ith its front contact, conductor 75, armature 7G, in engagement with its back contact and through the lamp 77 to the closed contact o1"A the jack S5 to ground.

The illumination of the lamp 77 apprises the second operator that the lirst ,operator is now busy and upon the receipt of the next call, this operator must answer the call. rlhis is the condition shown in F ig. 1.

rlhe energization of the cut oli1 relay 45 operates its armatures 4 and 5 from engagement with their bach contacts, opening the circuit ot the line relay G. As a result, the line relay 6 is deenergized and in turn opens the circuit of the pilot relay 13 at armature 7, which now moves from in engagement with its front contact. As a result of the deenergization of the pilot relay 13, its pilot lamp goes out indicating that the connection to the calling party has been completed.

rhe circuit for the lamp 77 now extends over conductor 7 5 and the back contact and armature 16, conductor 74 over conductor 67, armature 62 in engagement with its front Contact, conductor 7 5 and armature 76 and its back contact to the lamp 77, this lamp being continually illuminated advising the second operator to be in preparation for the next call.

now a call comes in over any other subscribei"s line such as lines 1 and 2, the line relay individual thereto is energized and in turn closes one of the multiple circuits to the pilot relay 13. Pilot relay 13 upon energization opens the circuit for the lamp 77, which enten ded over conductors 74 and 75 as traced above, so that this lamp is flickered as the multiple circuit therefor through the convtact (3&3 is opened and closed by the revolving cam C?) and the operator at the second position is advised of an incoming call.

The line over which this call is being received, is, as in the previous case, indicated by answering lamps similar to the lamps 10 and 11 which are individual to the calling subscribers line. The second operator will accordingly insert her individual cord circuit plug into the calling subscribers line jack.

its in the previous case, one result of this will be to energize relay 78, operating armature 7 to engage its front contact and eX- tending the circuit of the source of power 72 over conductor 67 armature 62 in engagement with its front contact, conductor 75, armature 76 in engagement with its front contact to conductor 91, armature 92 in engagement with its back contact and through the answer next7 lamp 8G of the third operator, thence to ground through the closed contacts of jack 88.

This is assuming that the iirst and second operators are still busy at the time when the third call comes in. The third operator upon observing illumination ot lamp 86 will be advised that she must be in preparation for receiving the third call and will accordingly watch lamp 86, which, if it begins to flicker, in a manner described in connection with lamps 61 and 77, will indicate an incoming call. lt, however, before such call comes in, the iirst operator is no longer busy and removes the plug 25 from the jack 21 ist of the first calling subscriber, relay 57 individual thereto will deenergize, the circuit therefor being opened when the sleeve of plug 25 is removed from the jack. Upon deenergization of relay 57 the circuit for the lamp 61 individual thereto is again completed from conductor 67 and accordingly lamp 61 will be illuminated and simultaneously th-o circuit for the lamp 86, traced above, will be opened by reason of the tact that the armature 62 is new in engagement with its back-contact and the lamp 86 will be extinguished. Accordingly the iirst operator will receive the next call instead of the third operator.

Similarly if under the conditions as described above, the lamp 86 of the third operator is illuminated, but the second operator completes her call and is no longer busy before a third call comes in, relay 78 will be deenergized and armature 76 upon moving to engage its back contact illuminates` the lamp 77, if the i'irst operator is still busy. The lamp 86 will be extinguished again, the next call being thereupon answered by the second operator. If both the first and second operators are no longer busy by the time the third call is received, the call will be received by the irst operator as will now be obvious.

If on the other hand, the two operators are still busy when the third call is received, the third operator will answer this call and upon inserting her plug into the jack of the calling subscriber, relay 87 will be energized and the circuit extending over conductor 91 will extend over armature 92 in engagement with its front contact and conductor 94 to the lamp 95 at the supervisors position, which upon illumination advises the supervisory operator that all of th-e operators are busy and no one is free to receive'the next incoming call.

In order to permit absence of an operator or repairs to be made to the switchboard, the operators plug 25 or an idler plug is inserted in the corresponding jacks 64, 85 or 88 of that operating position which automatically cuts the corresponding answer next lampv out of the signaling system. y The circuit for conductor 67, in case of a plug being inserted in j ack 64, then extends over conductor 81 to the contact 82, conductor 83 through the conductor 75, to the succeeding operators position. rlhe first operators position in that case is thus removed from the answer next system. It will be noted that the operators plug in this case does not make any electrical connections with. the jack, but merely acts as a convenient idler plug to operate the extra normal contact of the jack 64` and as a visual indication that the vacant positionv has been busied This feature of being able to make a position automatically busy, by cutting it out of the signaling system, is made use of by the supervisor in checking the operator load. Assume that a concentration unit has 10 operating positions but that only operators 1 to 6 are on duty. By inserting the cord circuit plug ol positions 7 to 10 inclusive in the corresponding jacks, the lamp at the supervisors position will be illuminated each time ali operators are handling tralic. Should this occur Jfrequently or should the lamp at the supervisors position remain lighted for considerable time, and it is noted by the supervisor that calls are unanswered, it is an indication that an additional operator or operators are required. Should the lamp at the supervisors position remain unlighted or extinguished for a period, it would probably indicate that more operators than are necessary are on duty.

It will be noted that in all the circuits for lamps 61, 77 and 86, the relay 71 is inveriably energ1zed. 95 which in turn controls an obvious energizing circuit for a lamp 96. As long as the relay 71 is energized over a circuit traced above, the circuit orP lamp 96 is held open by armature 95. This condition prevails as lon as the apparatus is in normal condition an a circuit for one of the operating positions closed. lf, however, for example when the armature 62 is in engagement with its back contact, the first operator being in condition for receiving an incoming call, the lamp 61 burns out, the circuit from the source 72 and the relay 71 is opened and relay 71 is deenergized, closing a circuit 'for the trouble indicating lamp 96.

In Fig. 1, the lamps 61, 7 7 and 86 are shown as controlled over the back contact of arma-v tures 62, 7 6 and 92 respectively. In a modilied term of our invention shown in Fig. 2.v the equivalent lamps 101, 102 and v108 and lamp 104 at the supervisors position, are connected in series with the conductor 105, equivalent to the conductor 67. As case of Fig. 1, the conductor 105 is connected to the contactor 68 operated by the rotating cam at a predetermi ned-frequency and in multiple over the conductors 7 5 and 74 to the armature 16 of the pilot relay 13, which in turn is controlled in multiple by a plurality of line relays 6.

inasmuch as the remaining apparatus for each operat is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1, this is not again described.

The circuit 105, it will be noted, after passing through the lamp 101, may also be bypassed through the armature 62v of the relay 57, individual to the tirst operator. The armature 62 when in engagement with its baclr Contact., extends the circuit from conductor 105 over the conductor 106 to the contact 107 oi' the jacl- 108 and the contact being grounded ,109. 1^ turther circuit to thejack entend om one or nie tei; iinals of the lamp 101 o conductor 111 tothe contact 112,

Relay 71 controls an'armatureV which, when closed, short circuits the lamp 101 by means of the circuit extending from one lamp terminal over conductor 111, contact 112, and conductor 113 to the opposite termi nal of the lamp. Similar circuits are provided for each of the succeeding operators positions. ln this case when the apparatus is in a non-operating condition, no calls having been received and, no operator busy, as assumed in the first instance in connection with F ig. 1, the circuit from source 72 entends through the relay 71, conductor 70, conductor 7 5, back contact and armature 10, conductor 74 and over conductor 105 through the lamp 101, armature 62 in engagement with its back contact, conductor 106, contact 107 and ground at 109. The remaining circuits are short-circuited by the ground at 109.

When nov: a subscriber li ts the receiver and an incoming call is received, the line relay individual thereto is energized in a manner described in detail above to in turn energize the pilot relay 13. The pilot relay 13, upon energization, operates its armature 16 from engagement with its baclt contact and the circuit for the answer next lamp 101 is coinpleted through the periodically operated contactor (5S as described above. rEhe lamp 101 flicker-s and the iirst operator isapprised of the incomingl call. rPhe particular parti' call` ing is indicated by the individual answering lamps as described above. When the irst operator inserts the operators plug into the jaclr of the calling party, relay 57 is energized over the circuit described above and upon its energization operates the armature 62 from engagement with its back contact to engagement with its front contact. Upon operation ofthe armature 62 into engagement with its .front Contact, the circuit for lamp 101 is bypassed around the front contact and armature 62 and at the same time the ground over conductor106 is removed from the conductor 105, so that the circuit therefor now extends over the front contact and armature 62 to the succeedinglamp 102 of the second operator and through the bacl contact and armature 76 to ground over the second operators jack S5. Lamp 102 is now illuminated over the circuit described in connection with the first circuit for lamp 101 and the second operator is thus advised to be in readiness to answer the second call. If, however, before the second call comes in the tirrt operator is no longer busy, relay 57 will be deenergized and the original energizing circuit for lamp 101 will be completed over armature 62 and its baci: contact and conductor 10G, lamp 109. thereupon being ei;- tinguished.

The remaining operations are similar to those described in connection with Fig. 1, the lamp 10aL at the supervisors position` being illuminated When all three operators are busy.

In order to remove any operating position from the answer next system, a plug is inserted in the jack 108, individual thereto, closing the contact 112l and opening the Contact 107. its a result, the circuit over conductor 105 extends over conductor 113 through contacter 112 and over conductor 111 bypassing' the lamp 101. although the answer next system described in the above is shown in connection with telephone circu a s a mea ns oi' insuring that the answer next lamps ill be lighted on the proper idle p ,si on, it will be noted that cach point of connection is in the sleeve circuit of the operator-s cord` and in no way connected to the line or line relay which controls the incoming calls. This connection in the form of a relay simply temporarily e-icludes any busy position from participation in the answer next system.

Although the description is shown in connection with apparatus as applied to a telephone concentration unit, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that itis equally applicable to other signaling systems, such as telegraphy and simplex printer concentration units which permit the grouping of a large number of underloaded circuits in front of a smaller number of operators.

lt will be further clear that the invention is drawn in connection with one form only and that it may take other forms and we accordingly do not intend to limit ourselves by the specific showing thereof but only in so far as set forth in the appended claims.

7e claim:

1. ln a switchboard having a number of positions arranged in a predetermined sequence, the combination of means including circuit connections for indicating an incoming call at the lowest numbered idle position and means including circuit connections whereby if a still lower numbered position becomes idle before an incoming call comes in, said incoming call will be indicated only at said still lower idle numbered position.

2. ln a switchboard having a number of positions, means including circuit connections for indicating prior to its reception on the firstfree position in order of sequence of a number of positions, that its operator is to respond to the next incoming call and plug and jack means for converting the o/)erators receiver to receive the call.

3. In a switchboard having a number of positions, means including circuit connections for invariably indicating on the first free position of a number, that its operator is to respond to the next incoming call and means including circuit connections for invariably indicating to the next succeeding free position that its operator is to answer the next following incoming call while thc said first position is busy.

4. ln switchboard having a number of positions, means for invariably indicating on the first free position of a number, that its operator is to respond to the next incoming call, circuit means for invariably indicating to the next succeeding free position, that its operator is to answer the next following incoming call while the said first psition is busy and means including circuit connections Jfor again indicating at said first position that its operator should operate in response to the next said following incoming call in the event that the first position becomes idle before the said last mentioned call comes in.

5. ln aV signaling system, a plurality of incoming subscribers lines, a line relay individual to each of said subscriber lines, a pilot relay common to all of said line relays, a plurality of operators positions, switching means individuel to each of said positions and an operators cord circuit individual to ach of said operators positions, an answer next indicating device individual to each oit' said operators positions`,.said answer next indicating devices being in a predetermined sequence vwith relation to said pilot relay controlled thereby, means includinor circuit connections whereby said answer next indicating devices are jointly controlled by said pilot relay and their individual switching means, the first answer next indicating device being normally' controlled by said pilot relay, while said other succeeding answer next devices being normally not ati'ected by said pilot relay, means including circuit connections whereby the switching means individual to said first operr-ting position is operated in response to the connection of the individual operators cord circuit with a calling party subscribers line, means responsive to the operation of' said switching means for rendering the operting devices individual thereto non-eii'ective v said pilot relay and for simultaneously ndering the succeeding answer next indicating device responsive to said pilot relay means.

G. In a signaling system, a plurality of incoming subscribers lines, a line relay individual to each of said subscriber lines, a pilot relay, common to all of said line relays, a plurality of operators positions, relay means individual to each of said positions, an opera` tors cord circuit individual to each of said operators positions, an answer next indicating device individual to each of said operators positions, said answer next indicating means being in a predetermined sequence with relation to said pilot relay and controlled thereby, means including circuit connections whereby said answer next7 indicating devices are jointly controlled by said pilot relay and their individual relay, said first answer next7 indicating device being normally controlled by said pilot relay,

wnile said other succeeding answer next devices being normally not affected by said '.3 pilot relay, means including circuit connec tions whereby the relay individual to said first operating position is energized in response to the connection of the individual operators cord circuit with a subscribers line, means responsive to the energization of the relay individual to said first position for 'rendering the operating devices individual thereto non-effective by said pilot relay and for simultaneously rendering the succeeding answer next indicating device responsive to saidpilot relay means, and means whereby when said first operator is disconnected from said party, said first answer next indicating device is again rendered responsive to said pilot relay and the succeeding said answer next indicating device including said second answer next indicating device is again rendered non-responsive to said pilot relay. Y

7. In a signaling system, a plurality of indicating devices, means for operating said indicating device, means including circuit connections whereby only the indicating device nearest said means responsive thereto, said other indicating devices being normally non-responsive thereto, means for rendering said first indicating device nonfresponsive to said means and for rendering, the next adjacent indicating means s responsive to said first means, said second means being operated to again render said first indicating device responsive to said first means and for rendering` the second' and other indicating means non-responsive to said first means.

8. In a telegraph system, a first station, a plurality of second stations, signaling lines connecting `said first station with each of said second stations, a plurality of telegraph receivers at said first station, `means for originating calls at said second stations, and means at said first station for invariably switching incoming calls originating at said second stations to predetermined onesof said first station receivers if said predetermined receivers are idle when said messages are re ceived.

9. In a telegraph system, a first station, a plurality of second stations, signaling lilies connecting said first sta ion with each of said second stations, al plurality of `telegraph receivers vat said rst station, means for indicating at a predetermined idle receiver that it is to receive the next incoming call, means at said first station Yfor invariably switching the Anext incoming call originating at one of said second stations to said predetermined idle receiver, and means including circuit connections for detecting trouble in any of said indicating means.

10. In a telegraph system, a first station, a plurality of second stations, signaling lines connecting said first station with each of said second stations, a plurality of' telegraph receivers at said first station, meansoperative prior to receipt of a call for indicating at a calls to the lowest numbered idle receiver.

l2. In a telegraph system including lines extending from a pluralita7 of outlying telegraph stations to a central receiving station, transmitting apparatus at said outlying station for initiating calls, a plurality of receivers at said central receiving station arranged in a predetermined sequence, means for indicating at the lowest numbered idle receiver that the next incoming signal is to be received thereat, and means operative in response to the receipt of a message for indicating that the signal is being received at said idle receiver.

13. In a telegraph system including lines extending from a plurality of outlying telegraph stations to a central receiving station, transmitting apparatus at said outlying station for initiating calls, a plurality of receivers at said central receiving station arranged in a predetermined sequence, means for indi eating at the lowest numbered idle receiver that the next incoming signal is to be received thereat, means operative in response to the receipt of a message for indicating that the signal is being received at said idle receiver, and means operative immediately upon receipt of a message by said lowest numbered idle receiver for indicating to the next lowest numbered idle receiver that it is to receive the next incoming message.

14C. In a telegraph system including lines extending from a plurality of outlying stations to a central receiving station, transmitting apparatus at said outlying station for initiating calls, a plurality of receivers at said central receiving station arranged in a predetermined sequence, means for invariably assigning incoming calls to the lowest numbered idle receiver, and means whereby any one of said receivers may be rendered non-operative to receive any incoming signals.

l5. In a telegraph system, a first station, a plurality of second stations, signaling lines connecting said first station with each of said second stat-ions, a plurality of telegraph receivers at said irst station, an operators cord having a plug individual to each of said receivers for connecting said receivers to any of said signaling lines, means whereby signals are initiated from any one of said second stations, means at said iirst station jor invariably switching incoming calls to a predetermined one of said first station receivers if said receiver is idle when said message is received.

1G. In a telegraph system, a lirst station, a plurality of second stations, signaling lines connecting said lirst station with each ot said second stations, a plurality of telegraph receivers at said first station, an operators cord having a plug individual to each of said receivers for connecting said receivers to any or" said signaling lines, means whereby signals are initiated from any one oi'P said second stations, means at said irststation for invariably switching' incoming calls to a predetermined one of .said first station receivers it said receiver is idle when said message is received, and means for indicating at the next predetermined idle receiver that it is to receive the next incoming call.

In testimony whereoii we aliix our signatures.

GEORGE G. LIGHT. HERBERT IV. BRAKE. MAURICE A. RUDD. IVILLIAM B. BLANTON.

DISCLAIMER 1,778,679.Ge0rge G. Light, Elizabeth, Herbert W. Drake, East Orange, and Ztfaarice A. Raad, North Plainiield, N. J., and William B'Btanton, Brooklyn, N. Y. CALL-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM. Patent dated October 14, 1930. Disclaimer tiled February 4, 1932, by the assignee, The Western Union Telegraph Oo., said patentees Light, Drake, Raad, and Blanton, concurring.

Hereby enters a disclaimer to claims 8, 11 and 14 0i said patent;

In claims 9, 10, 15 and 16, limiting the Word switching to mean indicating so that said claims shall be read by substituting the Word indicating for the Word switching in line 8 of claim 9, in line 9 of claim 10, and in line 11 of claims 15 and 16,' and by changing the Word to to at in line l0 0i' claim 9 and line 11 of claims 10, 15 and 16.

[Oficial Gazette March 15, 1.932.] 

